Vote Feb. 26! Your Guide to Logan Square’s Alderman Candidates

In a few week, all 50 wards in Chicago will vote for his or her aldermen. That features the 5 wards that include elements of Logan Sq.: 1, 26, 31, 32 and 35 (with nearly all of the ward coated by 1, 32 and 35). Take a look at all of the candidates operating for Logan-area wards under.

If the time period “alderman” leaves you vaguely confused, simply know that they make up the Chicago Metropolis Council, the legislative department of our metropolis’s authorities. Of their respective wards, the aldermen management issues like “menu cash,” which funds neighborhood enhancements like road paving, and zoning guidelines, which may also help decide reasonably priced housing availability in a ward, amongst a lot else.

The vote occurs Tuesday, Feb. 26, and also will elect the town’s subsequent mayor, metropolis clerk and metropolis treasurer. Discover your ward right here and your voting place right here. Early voting can also be now open, operating via Feb. 25, at websites in each ward and downtown on the “Tremendous Suite” (175 W Washington St.). Take a look at an inventory of early voting websites right here. Logan-area websites embrace Ward 32’s spot on the Bucktown-Wicker Park Library (1701 N Milwaukee Ave.) and Ward 35’s NEIU El Centro location (3390 N Avondale.).

1st Ward

Joe “Proco” Moreno (Incumbent) Incumbent Joe Moreno’s website touts his “DIY constituent providers”—paying for snow and graffiti removing at his personal expense, for instance—and the laws he’s handed to simplify paperwork. In its endorsement, the Solar Occasions praised Moreno’s push for reasonably priced housing and paid sick days for part-time staff, “a small victory within the gig financial system.”

Moreno has made his approach into the information for some bizarre tales just lately, nevertheless. This month, police opened an investigation into whether or not he filed a false police report when he stated his automotive had been stolen. The car was within the possession of a lady Moreno stated he used up to now and whom he advised to borrow the automotive. Moreno referred to as it a “misunderstanding.” The Solar-Occasions, even in endorsing him, stated, “he may be an annoying man,” mentioning how he flashed his alderman’s badge at a lady and yelled at her to maneuver her automotive in June of final yr.

Moreno started serving as first ward alderman in March 2010. Within the workplace, he’s earned chairmanships on the Committee on Human Relations and the Committee on Financial, Capital and Know-how improvement.

Daniel La SpataDaniel La Spata, operating for political workplace for the primary time, has served on the board of the Logan Sq. Neighborhood Affiliation for 10 years, ultimately rising to vice chairman. There, his marketing campaign says, he’s led on housing and group improvement. In pushing for reasonably priced housing, he’s led on the Zapata Flats and helped form insurance policies to convey TIF (tax-increment financing) cash to housing for working households. In a Solar-Occasions interview, he stated his prime priorities as alderman can be to proceed pushing for reasonably priced housing in addition to for “a democratic course of round zoning and improvement.”

La Spata’s starred in some destructive headlines these days, too. An image just lately surfaced from his bachelor social gathering displaying him dressed as a banana, surrounded by males dressed as monkeys, with some black boys posing with them. The candidate apologized for the photograph, which different aldermen referred to as racist. La Spata stated his groomsmen engineered a monkeys-chasing-a-banana factor for him at a park, and the youngsters noticed and requested for an image. Newly elected, Logan-area State Congresswoman Delia Ramirez de-endorsed La Spata over the controversy.

Born and raised in New Jersey, La Spata moved to Chicago for school, at North Park College. He’s finishing a grasp’s in city planning and public coverage on the College of Illinois-Chicago now.

32nd Ward

Scott Waguespack (Incumbent/Unopposed)You’ll be able to write another person in, however in any other case, you 32nd Warders don’t have a lot selection: Scott Waguespack, alderman within the 32nd since Might 2007, is operating unopposed. A founding member of the town council’s Progressive Reform Caucus, Waguespack has served as chair of the group since 2015. His workplace web site calls Waguespack an “unbiased voice,” difficult mayors Richard Daley and Rahm Emanuel “on problems with transparency, funds, public security and public schooling.”

Free of the pressures of reelection towards an opponent, Waguespack has stated he’s watching out for “sweetheart offers” from the outgoing Emanuel. That features the $6 billion Lincoln Yards venture, Waguespack advised WBEZ. Since 2008, the alderman has additionally served because the Democratic Committeeman for the 32nd Ward, working to register and mobilize voters. He sits on a variety of metropolis council committees, together with Finances and Authorities Operations; Finance and Human Relations; and Schooling and Baby Improvement.

A resident of Bucktown, Waguespack received his regulation diploma from Chicago-Kent and labored with the Peace Corps in Kenya, aiding ladies’s teams and UNICEF. He’s additionally assisted the Warfare Crimes Tribunal within the former Yugoslavia.

35th Ward

File photograph

Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (Incumbent)When Carlos Ramirez-Rosa gained workplace as alderman for the 35th Ward in Might 2015, he turned, at age 26, the youngest serving member of metropolis council, and one of many youngest ever. He’s joined Waguespack as a progressive voice within the council, steadily criticizing Mayor Emanuel and his supporters and serving on the Progressive Caucus. On his workplace’s web site, Rosa touts the 541-plus ordinances he’s handed, “together with main laws that’s delivered $20 million in property tax aid for working class households, protected immigrant communities from abuse,” and guarded equal rights for individuals no matter sexual orientation or gender id.

In a current interview with LoganSquarist, Rosa highlighted his work in pushing builders to show the Grace’s Furnishings constructing in Logan Sq. right into a boutique lodge providing $17/hour jobs—as an alternative of luxurious housing “for just some households.” Chatting with the Solar-Occasions, Rosa named his prime priorities as reasonably priced housing, absolutely funded faculties and community-driven improvement (the alderman employs participatory budgeting to allocate neighborhood-improvement funds). In its endorsement of Rosa, the Solar-Occasions referred to as him “one of many better-informed aldermen” and “an unbiased voice within the metropolis council.”

Opponent Amanda Yu Dieterich has criticized Rosa’s attendance at metropolis council and group conferences and referred to as him inaccessible to residents. The 35th’s present alderman has additionally run for 2 different workplaces (briefly as Daniel Biss’ operating mate for governor and for the Logan-area 4th U.S. Congressional seat), which has drawn criticisms of his dedication to the ward. Rosa additionally serves because the Democratic Committeeman for the 35th Ward. Earlier than turning into alderman, he served as a group organizer for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and as an aide to U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez.

Courtesy Amanda Yu Dieterich

Amanda Yu DieterichFirst-time political candidate Amanda Yu Dieterich is a small-business proprietor, operating The Early Phrase, and a member of the varsity council for James Monroe Elementary Faculty. Dieterich’s marketing campaign website says she needs to “put the wants of residents first” and supply the providers that folks require from the alderman’s workplace.

Her marketing campaign highlights quite a few points as her focus, together with schooling, small enterprise help, housing affordability and security. Amongst different objectives, Dieterich says she needs to advocate for absolutely funded faculties and maintain “family-friendly workplace hours.” The candidate informed the Solar-Occasions her prime priorities have been making Chicago reasonably priced, accessible and accountable.

In its endorsement of Dieterich, the Tribune stated she’s “clever, a robust communicator and guarantees to chart an unbiased course.” The paper additionally praised her stance on decreasing borrowing. Rosa has referred to as Dieterich’s criticisms of him false and has highlighted marketing campaign contributions she acquired from teams affiliated with Logan-area developer Mark Fishman. “Misinforming the group, and utilizing cash from Rahm donors and large builders displacing our households to do it,” Rosa tweeted. Dieterich, a mom of three, has lived in Logan Sq. for 10 years.

26th Ward

Alderman Roberto Maldonado. File photograph

Roberto Maldonado (Incumbent)Roberto Maldonado turned 26th Ward alderman in July 2009. His workplace’s web site highlights his work on public security, public playgrounds, housing affordability and schooling. He pushed to put in safety cameras within the ward, serving to decrease crime, based on a 2011 report. He’s directed TIF cash towards faculty playground renovations and has opposed property-tax will increase.

In its endorsement, the Solar-Occasions praised Maldonado’s dedication to progressive values, notably reasonably priced housing, which is especially necessary with housing prices growing alongside the 606 path. He supported a program to provide householders alongside the path grants to repair up their houses’ exteriors in order that they wouldn’t get pushed out, the Solar-Occasions famous.

Throughout a current debate, challenger David Herrera stated Maldonado’s had a low attendance report on the town council and had did not convey a lot financial improvement to the ward. Earlier than turning into an alderman, Maldonado had served since 1994 as Prepare dinner County Commissioner.

Theresa Siaw

First-time political candidate Theresa Siaw describes herself as a social entrepreneur; she presently directs the OMNI Healthcare clinics, which cater to underserved populations. In an interview with the Solar-Occasions, she stated she’s “been very lively within the ward,” sponsoring youth soccer, back-to-school packages and a church meals pantry. In that very same interview, she stated that her prime priorities have been attracting extra companies to the ward, bringing police and the group collectively to scale back crime, and growing reasonably priced housing.

“We have to begin placing time period limits on individuals,” she stated. Siaw additionally based and directs a program to assist overseas medical college students put together for U.S. residencies, and she or he’s served on the advisory board of Centro Romero, which aids immigrants and refugees.

David HerreraBorn and raised within the 26th Ward, as his marketing campaign web site notes, the 36-year-old David Herrera has labored as a developer and in municipal finance for 13 years. Along with criticizing Maldonado’s attendance document, Herrera advised Block Membership that the alderman had did not convey financial improvement to the ward, which in flip hampered reasonably priced housing.

Maldonado “could be very anti-development, and sadly it’s a really regressive coverage as a result of the prevailing housing provide is being cannibalized vs. permitting new market-rate to return in,” Herrera stated. The candidate has 4 prime priorities, he informed the Solar-Occasions: schooling, financial progress, job creation and housing. He needs to reopen the closed Von Humboldt faculty and ease zoning restrictions to permit improvement on blighted sections of the ward, amongst different initiatives.

Maldonado has criticized Herrara for failing to incorporate reasonably priced housing in a current improvement venture and accused him of shifting into his mom’s home to say he lives within the ward. Along with his private-sector work, Herrera has served on nonprofit junior-boards locally, he advised the Solar Occasions. Herrera’s mother and father settled within the East Humboldt Park/Ukrainian Village space, and he studied at Loyola College.

31st Ward

Milagros Santiago (Incumbent)Milly Santiago has served as 31st Ward alderman since 2015, following a profession in journalism and political communications, in addition to service within the Military Reserves. Santiago, in line with her workplace’s website, has gained reputation for engaged on points related to immigration, seniors and schooling. She has additionally advocated for these affected by home abuse, working with the group “Not another sufferer.”

The Tribune endorsed Santiago, giving an fascinating praise about her “spunk” and saying that she understands the issue of misplaced jobs and residents in Chicago. The paper highlighted her push for reforms to aldermanic privilege that would improve the supply of reasonably priced housing. She advised the Solar-Occasions her prime priorities have been public security, schooling, small-business improvement and housing.

In endorsing her opponent Colin Fowl-Martinez, the Solar-Occasions stated Santiago is “greatest recognized for whining she was only a ‘poor alderman’ when the town’s Board of Ethics prohibited her from shopping for coveted World Collection tickets from the Cubs … at face worth.” The paper requested, “How does a freshman alderman … come to really feel entitled so shortly?” Santiago labored as a tv reporter for Univision and Telemundo earlier than working in communications for the governor’s workplace. As alderman, she’s joined the Latino, Ladies’s and Veterans caucuses.

Colin Chook-Martinez. Courtesy Fowl-Martinez

Colin Hen-MartinezAn automotive analyst and group organizer, Colin Chook-Martinez advocates a “group first” platform. His marketing campaign website defines that as “specializing in the fixing the issues affecting working households” and investing in “public security, schooling, group providers and reasonably priced housing.”

Earlier than operating for alderman, Fowl-Martinez co-founded Hermosa Neighborhood Affiliation, in 2014, serving as president and board member till 2018. The group advocates for reasonably priced housing and works for infrastructure upgrades, amongst different actions. Fowl-Martinez informed the Solar-Occasions his prime priorities are absolutely funding the general public faculties, supporting reasonably priced housing and growing public security.

In its endorsement of Hen-Martinez, that paper famous the candidate’s service on his native faculty council, in addition to with organizations like The Individuals’s Foyer and Reclaim Chicago, the place he helped elect progressive candidates, together with Logan’s personal 35th Ward Alderman Rosa. That and different work has added as much as greater than four,000 volunteer hours, his marketing campaign website stated. Chook-Martinez lives in Hermosa together with his husband and has referred to as Chicago house for over a decade.

Felix Cardona Jr.Felix Cardona Jr. informed the Solar-Occasions he has “been lively in 31st Ward politics for over 20 years.” He highlighted his work with unions, together with becoming a member of picket strains and serving to on union-endorsed voting pushes. He’s helped candidates, together with Logan-area U.S. Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, get on the poll.

On his marketing campaign website, Cardona Jr. says he goals to stop crime, enhance faculties and enhance providers. He needs to, amongst different issues, demand the ward will get its “justifiable share of cops,” convey again vocational faculties and make the alderman’s workplace extra aware of service requests. He advised the Solar-Occasions his prime priorities are crime discount, ward providers and faculties.

Born in Logan Sq., Cardona Jr. attended faculties within the neighborhood and studied legal justice at Northeastern College. He beforehand labored for the Prepare dinner County Board of Assessment and have become director of incentive properties in 2010 on the Prepare dinner County Assessor’s workplace.